“Refuge of the Last Dreamers”: Luang Prabang, a city frozen in time | Arts and Culture

A new day dawns with the rhythmic shuffling of bare feet on the floor.

Like an apparition from centuries past, a procession of several hundred monks with shaved heads emerges through the morning mist and winds its way through the sleepy, narrow streets. Buddhist locals line the path, making their daily offerings of rice and fruit, while monks pass by with their alms bowls. Then the monks disappear back into their temple walls as silently as they appeared, their saffron-colored robes flowing gently behind them.

This morning ritual in Luang Prabang is just one aspect of life that gives the small town its ethereal, forgotten atmosphere. Luang Prabang is located in the country of Laos, 370 km (229 miles) northwest of the capital Vientiane, in a beautiful valley at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.

The fact that Laos’ borders were closed to foreigners during parts of the 20th century, along with its gleaming temples and ancient religious aura, has ensured that the city has remained one of the most remote and unspoiled places on the planet.